Alor community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State have commended the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige for acting timely in what they described as the attempt by some traditional rulers from the state to rubbish the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano before President Muhammad Buhari.
DAILY POST had earlier gathered that Dr Ngige was part of the plan that scuttled an attempt by the traditional rulers who were led by billionaire oil magnate, Prince Arthur Eze to Aso Villa last week to see Buhari.
Obiano had earlier suspended the 12 monarchs involved in the trip for one year, but the monarch of Alor community, Igwe Mac-Anthony Elibe Okonkwo who was among the suspended monarch on Saturday apologised to the governor, while also denying that the reason for the trip was to smear him (Obiano).
But a press statement signed by the President-General of Alor People Assembly (APA), Uzoma Igbonwa and made available to DAILY POST in Awka thanked Ngige for the gesture, while also disowning Okonkwo for being among the monarchs who made the trip.
“This offers us the opportunity to thank our illustrious son and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, for swiftly acting to prevent the total desecration of the office of the Governor, before Mr President and the people of Nigeria.
“We, hereby wish to state our unequivocal support for the Governor and every step he has taken to restore sanity to our traditional institutions, the suspension of erring Traditional Rulers including the purported Traditional Ruler of Alor.
“We, the good people of Alor, are peace-loving, law-abiding and loyal to the Government of Anambra State. And we shall continue to do so.
“We, hereby dissociate our entire community from the actions of Igwe Elibe Mac-Anthony Chinedu Okonkwo, who was imposed on our community and has strangely been conducting himself to the disapproval of our people, culminating in the latest sabotage against the government of Anambra State.’’
“The State Government may well see the reason the Alor community rejected this imposition on us by the former Governor, Mr Peter Obi and more reasons, the communities should be allowed to freely elect its traditional rulers in an atmosphere strictly guided by democracy, traditions and the norms,’’ the release read.
Igwe Okonkwo who was caught on camera alongside other monarchs counting wads of Naira notes purported to be bribe money given to them by Prince Arthur Eze had also earlier stated that he never received a bribe to join other monarchs to Abuja, rather the money seen with him was meant for his aides and driver to procure fuel.
